Europe

PHOTOS: Luxury train ride from Budapest to Paris and London

Orient Express train ride

Everyone is familiar with Agatha Christie’s famous novel, Murder on the Orient Express. Or at least saw the film with the same title, starring Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz. The Orient Express luxury train will be running in 2023, making it possible to travel to multiple European cities in complete luxury.

One would think that people fear travelling on this luxury train due to the story, in which passengers are killed. However, this is not the case at all. Matador Network reported that the posh Venice Simplon Orient Express train (VSOE) is highly popular. The train ride offers a unique and unforgettable experience to passengers. In addition to that, complete comfort, amazing meals and drinks are included in the price.

Orient Express food
Source: Belmond.com

The train ride from and to Budapest

The luxury train might be called Venice Simplon Orient Express, but it operates on various other routes as well. The current routes of the Orient Express include Paris to Budapest, Budapest to Paris, London to Budapest, and Budapest to London. Currently, there are plenty of tickets still available to many destinations. In addition to that, there are some journeys that are already available in 2024. Regarding ticket prices, Matador Network wrote:

A two-day, one-night journey aboard the train from Paris to Budapest in October 2023 ranges from $5,900 (£4,500) to $10,500 (£8,000) per adult, depending on the cabin you opt for.

It is suggested to book the trip in advance for the best prices. Tickets can be booked on Venice Simplon Orient Express’ website.

Your Journey

There is no doubt that this luxury train ride will be memorable. After you hop on the unique train in Budapest, you can enjoy a delicious lunch. Both the dining cars and the scenery are truly breathtaking. A wide selection of pastries and snacks are to be served by the steward throughout your ride. For breakfast, fresh fruit juice and irresistible dishes are served. According to the website of Venice Simplon Orient Express, the chefs make sure to select the freshest and best ingredients for all the meals.

Orient Express meal
Source: Belmond.com
Orient Express cocktail
Source: Belmond.com

Please, note that there is a dress code on the train. The dinner dress code is black-tie formal for men and floor-length evening dresses for the ladies. During the day, the attire is a bit more relaxed, semi-formal.

Accommodation

The price of your ticket also depends on the type of accommodation you choose. The Orient Express offers three kinds of accommodations. The cheapest is the historical cabin, with two berths and a shared toilet. The price is roughly HUF 1.5 million (EUR 4,000). The double suite and the twin suite have two twin beds or one double bed. The suites include a private marble bathroom. Robes and slippers are also included in the price of HUF 2.8 million (EUR 7,600). The most luxurious accommodation is the grand suite. It has a queen-size bed, a lounging area, as well as a marble bathroom. The price includes 24-hour butler service, unlimited champagne and private dining. A ticket for one person is around HUF 4.3 million (EUR 11,600).

Grand Suite Orient Express
Source: Belmond.com

Ryanair has sent a message to Hungarians

Ryanair flight Budapest

Ryanair has published its winter timetable. Never before have Hungarians had so many options to choose from with the Irish low-cost airline.

Ryanair winter timetable

Irish airline Ryanair has announced its winter timetable, which is now available on their site. According to the company’s announcement, 1.8 million seats are available for Hungarian passengers from the end of October until the beginning of March.

The wide range of destinations includes winter sun spots, Christmas markets and ski resorts. Ticket prices start from HUF 11,999 (EUR 32), which Ryanair says is the cheapest in Europe.

Ryanair’s Alicja Wójcik-Gołębiowska said: “We’ve received a huge volume of Winter ’23 schedule requests from early bird customers looking to get ahead of the flock and book a Ryanair flight for their Winter ’23 getaways. Whether looking to soak up some sun, hit the slopes or enjoy the festive season in one of Europe’s breathtakingly beautiful cities, you won’t be disappointed with the unbeatable selection of top ski, Christmas market, seasonal shopping, and winter sun destinations we have on offer at the lowest fares in Europe.”

Petition to the European Commission

Ryanair has not only announced its winter timetable but is also collecting signatures for a petition. So far, they’ve raised 1.3 million supporters to demand that the European Commission and President Ursula von der Leyen take action over the French air traffic controllers’ strike, which has led to 4,000 flight cancellations this year alone.

Ryanair says it is unfair that the French strike affects flights that only pass over the country and do not take off or land there.

The company believes that decision-makers must act to protect overflights and the European Union’s single market, vg.hu reports.

Hungary Agriculture minister urges extending Ukraine grain exports deal

István Nagy, Hungary’s minister of agriculture met his Turkish counterpart Ibrahim Yumakli in Ankara, and urged that the agreement concerning Ukraine’s grain exports by sea should be “extended and rolled out” to ensure that Ukrainian grain “could again reach southern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East through traditional routes,” the agriculture ministry said on Tuesday.

Nagy pointed to market difficulties and challenges for farmers due to an “influx” of Ukrainian grain shipped through the European Union’s “Solidarity Corridor”. He said the Hungarian government continued to support that idea, but warned that “the corridor has not met expectations and proved insufficient to replace Black Sea shipping”. The difficulties will only be removed if grain from Ukraine will again be shipped through the traditional routes, he insisted.

Nagy pointed to a “historic resonsibility” and said extending the agreement and releasing more Ukrainian ports than the current three from the blocade would “both serve protection of the European countries affected and meeting the demands of needy developing countries”. Or else, he warned, Europe’s grain markets could be paralysed and uncertainties of food supplies could force more and more people to leave their homeland “resulting in increased migratory pressure and greater tension”.

The minister also invited his Türkish counterpart for further talks in Hungary.

Hungarian economic development minister winds up trip to China

márton nagy hungary minister Hungarian economy Hungarian national economy minister

Economic Development Minister Márton Nagy has finished a five-day visit to Beijing, where he held talks on strengthening and deepening economic and financial ties between Hungary and China, his ministry said on Tuesday.

During the visit, Nagy met with high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission, as well as with executives of China Development Bank, Export-Import Bank of China, Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Construction Bank. He also held talks with the head of the Silk Road Fund and discussed the European strategy of Huawei at the ICT company’s recently inaugurated centre in Beijing.

Nagy spoke about possible financing opportunities in Hungary with the executives of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Chinese FDI in Hungary, which stands over EUR 3 billion at present, is set to reach EUR 13 billion in the coming years on the back of electromobility investments, such as battery production, the ministry said.

Hungary needs to carry out large-scale energy and infrastructure upgrades for those investments to materialise, and it wants to undertake that endeavour with Chinese capital and the involvement of Chinese companies, it added.

Hungary supports the process in which Western and Chinese capital connect and Hungary’s role as a bridgehead strengthens, the ministry said. Nagy made it clear at the talks in Beijing that anything that counters this process is “harmful for both Hungary and Europe” and pressed for the removal of obstacles to trade, it added.

Orbán: Hungarians are protecting Europe

Viktor Orbán Russia NATO secret plan PM Orbán

Hungarians are protecting not just Hungary, but the whole of Europe, including Austria, against illegal migrants, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at a Hungary-Austria-Serbia migration summit in Vienna on Friday.

A total of 330,000 illegal migrants were stopped at Europe’s borders last year, 270,000 of whom were apprehended at the Hungary-Serbia border, Orbán said.

The Hungarian model is effective and is based on the simple idea that no one can enter the territory of a country until their asylum request has been evaluated, the prime minister said.

Asylum seekers can enter the country in question once their request is approved, he added.

Orbán: Hungary won’t carry out EU’s migration decisions

Hungary will not carry out the European Union’s decisions on migration; the country does not accept mandatory quotas or the obligation to build camps for migrants or “migrant ghettos”, Viktor Orbán said.

The EU decisions would involve replacing an effective Hungarian model with an “obviously non-functioning” new European model, he said at a Hungary-Austria-Serbia migration summit in Vienna.

Hungary will find the legal and political means in order to prevent Brussels’s decisions from being implemented, he said.

Orbán added that the situation was “sad” because Hungary had to protect itself not only from illegal migrants and human smugglers, but also from Brussels.

Budapest to host Europe’s biggest firework show: Important information about 20 August

Budapest 20 August celebrations1

The official celebrations commemorating the founding of the state and the “St Stephen’s Day – God Bless Hungary” („Szent István Nap – Isten éltessen Magyarország!”) series of events will end with the largest and most spectacular fireworks display in Europe on 20 August.

20 August, celebrating the founding of the state

The series of events celebrating the founding of the state on St. Stephen’s Day will close with Europe’s largest fireworks display on the evening of 20 August, origo.hu reports. According to the news portal, the fireworks display, which will start at 9 PM, will be accompanied by music, narration, building painting, drone games and a light show. Along the Buda and Pest quays, approximately 40,000 pyrotechnic effects will make up the entire show, covering a length of 4.5 kilometres.

According to preliminary news, 50 pyrotechnicians will install the fireworks on 7 barges, 65 pontoons and on the Elisabeth Bridge and the Liberty Bridge. Nearly 100 more people will work to ensure that all the barges and rafts are in place and remain there during the launches.

This year’s spectacle will stretch from Margaret Bridge to Petőfi Bridge over the Danube, a distance of about 4.5 km, to give people a full experience from the shore. There will also be a drone show, presented by a total of 800 drones from two locations, while the story will be rounded off with visuals projected onto the Parliament, the National Gallery (Nemzeti Galéria) and Gellért Hill.

Szent István Nap – Isten éltessen Magyarország!

In addition to the official state celebrations, the festival “Saint Stephen’s Day – God Save Hungary” will be held in Budapest on 19-20-21 August. One of the aims of the series of events is to introduce the attractions of the country’s capital to domestic travellers in rural Hungary.

The festival’s more than a dozen venues, which are free to visit, are designed to appeal to people interested in classical and popular music, history, gastronomy and fashion.

Venues of the festival:

  • Szabadrét Fesztivál – Erzsébet Square
  • Csárdafesztivál – Vörösmarty Square
  • Vigadó Piano – Vigadó Square
  • Varázsliget – Városliget/City Park
  • Divat&Design Fesztivál – Millenáris
  • Panorama Classical – Filozófusok kertje (Garden of Philosophers)
  • Hősök útja – Tóth Árpád sétány
  • Mesterségek Ünnepe – Budai vár (Buda Castle)
  • Magyar Ízek utcája – Várkert Bazár (Castle Garden Bazaar)
  • Retro Fesztivál – Tabán
  • Aranyvonat kiállítás – Alkotmány Street
  • Városok sétánya – Alkotmány Street
  • Road Movie koncert – Műegyetem quay

Szijjártó: Integration in Western Europe a failure

Hungary foreign minister Péter Szijjártó

Recent developments in France “clearly indicate the failure of efforts aimed at social integration in western Europe,” Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó told lawmakers on Tuesday.

“It has now become clear that it is impossible to integrate migrants illegally arriving in large masses from different cultures,” the foreign ministry quoted Szijjártó as saying.

“Those with the vain hope that western Europe’s integration endeavours could succeed … have seen the reports from France and are now disappointed,” the minister said. In many countries “parallel societies” have evolved and “in many cases the quiet majority is terrified … but no tragedy will make those in Brussels come to their senses,” Szijjártó said.

“Tragedies in the Mediterranean, accidents in which people are killed, disturbances in large cities and thousands of burning cars will not be enough,” he added.

People have the clear expectation that “the well-paid European bureaucrats in Brussels” should ensure the protection of the community’s residents, its borders, and they should stop migration, and “destroy the business model of people smugglers”, the minister said.

“But the Brussels bureaucracy is again striving to press through the mandatory migrant quota in a coup-like way,” he said.

“By definition, migrants forcing their entry through Hungary’s southern border are not refugees, since there is no war in Serbia and nobody’s life is in danger,” he said, adding that under international law people fleeing war should be granted temporary asylum “in the first safe country” they enter. Those who cross the Serbia-Hungary border “illegally, forcefully … violate Hungary’s sovereignty and its rules and should have no place in Hungary,” he said.

Contrary to the values and rules of the bloc, the EU is withholding funds due to Hungary for political reasons, he said, adding that Hungarians had “exercised their sovereign rights and decided on Hungary’s future” in a way that “liberal mainstream in Brussels” could not abide, and were being punished for doing so.

Szijjártó said 2.5 years into the seven-year budget cycle Brussels was already turning to member states for more resources, adding that spending “billions of euros” on military support for Ukraine and delivering arms which prolonged the war was “totally unreasonable”. Sanctions, he added, were damaging the European economy even when Europeans were not responsible for the war.

“What is enough for Brussels!?” Szijjártó asks:

Meanwhile, Brussels was asking Hungary to abolish of its scheme to keep utility bills low, “while European bureaucrats ask for millions and billions of euros for their own salaries”, he said, adding that “the bureaucrats” had failed to take “a single step towards peace”. Also, he said European competitiveness had dropped off a cliff “and European citizens have no money”.

The minister said it should be made clear why EUR 70 billion was spent on in Ukraine and why that sum was not enough.

Szijjártó asked: “Where is Hungary’s and Poland’s money? Do they still have this money?” Had it been channelled to other purposes? Also, why was extra money needed to finance interest on recovery loans when Hungary and Poland “has not received a single cent from this fund”?

“Hungary won’t abandon its utility cuts and it won’t give a single cent to raise the salaries of European bureaucrats,” he said. Further, the money of European citizens must not go to Ukraine until the EUR 70 billion spent so far has been accounted for, Szijjártó added.

Hungarian politician: Enlargement ‘in EU’s fundamental interest’

lőrinc nacsa kdnp

The European Union’s security, economic and political interests firmly hinge on integrating countries of the Western Balkans, a governing lawmaker told a European Parliament committee, arguing that enlargement would make the EU stronger, while each month of delay would enfeeble the bloc.

“Hungary finds it unacceptable that delays to the enlargement process may end up weakening the European Union,” Christian Democratic lawmaker Lőrinc Nacsa told MTI after attending the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET). “In times of war and amid the challenges of migration, the EU accession of Western Balkan countries is our primary interest, also from a security point of view.”

The party’s deputy group leader noted that ten years ago Croatia joined the EU, yet the bloc had shrunk by one member since then, which he called a “shameful record”.

Noting that he was among delegates from the foreign affairs committees of national parliaments attending the AFET meeting on Tuesday, he said the Hungarian parliament had sent experts to aid countries aspiring the join the bloc in fulfilling the necessary accession criteria while supporting their parliaments through various programmes both in the eastern and southern regions of Europe.

Nacsa said Hungary kept the issue of enlargement firmly on the EU’s agenda while promoting the Schengen accession of non-EU-member countries. Quickening the enlargement process and striving to prevent any further delays to Western Balkan integration were high Hungarian priorities, he added.

Fidesz MEP Gál Kinga in a statement criticised the annual report on Bosnia-Herzegovina approved by the EP’s foreign affairs committee at the meeting, saying that like most EP reports on Western Balkan countries, it rode roughshod over the complex problems of the region, and such reports only served to sharpen conflicts and instability there.

The Fidesz EP group leader accused “left liberals” of using the report to mount an ideologically based attack against Olivér Várhelyi, the commissioner for enlargement, which she said was “unacceptable”.

It “incomprehensible”, she added, that the report “also openly attacks Hungarian companies”, blaming Momentum Movement MEP Katalin Cseh for this. “It’s shocking that a Hungarian left-wing representative has attacked Hungarian companies operating in Bosnia-Herzegovina … baselessly confusing them with Chinese companies,” Gal said.

No stopping, another Chinese battery factory arrives in Hungary

Szijjártó China

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD is building a HUF 10 billion (EUR 27.1m) battery assembly plant in Fot, near Budapest, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Shenzhen on Wednesday.

The investment, which will create 100 jobs initially, is being supported with a HUF 1 billion government grant, Szijjártó said, according to a ministry statement.

“This investment will boost Hungary’s role in the European auto industry’s electric transition, contribute to the protection of Hungarian jobs and help attract more capacities in the Cmost important industry of the future,” Szijjártó said.

BYD is the world’s largest electric vehicle maker, the second biggest player in the electric battery industry as well as a global leader in telecommunications and IT, the minister said.

He noted that the electric buses manufactured by BYD in Komárom, in northern Hungary, “are hugely popular across Hungary and Europe“, accounting for about 80 percent of London’s public transport bus fleet.

BYD also supplies around 42 percent of the electric buses replacing the old and polluting buses in Hungarian cities and towns, he added.

“This means that the Chinese are an absolute market leader in Hungary in terms of electric buses,” Szijjártó said.

Meanwhile, he said the EV industry would shape the coming years and decades of the global economy.

Szijjártó welcomed the “irreversible” transition to electric vehicles, saying it would be impossible to reach global environmental protection targets without it given that 14 percent of global harmful emissions are linked to public road transport.

Judit Varga, Minister of Justice of Hungary resigns — UPDATED

Judit Varga justice

According to an unconfirmed report, Judit Varga, the minister of justice, is slated to lead Fidesz’s list in the 2024 European Parliament election and will step down from her ministerial post, the daily Magyar Nemzet said on Wednesday.

The paper carried an interview with the minister, noting that Varga did not want to confirm the report because the Fidesz leadership had yet to finalise the decision, though, she added, she definitely wanted to “represent the interests of the Hungarian people” in the EP, would join the campaign and quit her post to do so.

She said much was at stake in the EP elections, and she wanted to take an active role in forging conservative European institutions and to build multiple alliances. A “vibrant conservative movement” was growing across Europe, she said. “We must build on this.”

Varga said the left-liberal predominance in the EU “must be overturned”.

Referring to her ministerial legacy, she said two major agreements were brought about in Brussels: “a big step forward” in the conditionality procedure in December, and the completion of the judicial package in May, which is yet to be implemented.

Varga also referred to the creation of a national victim help network, the strengthening of child and family rights in cooperation with the civil sphere and law enforcement, and a big salary increase for judges and prosecutors.

She said that when it came to debates over the rule of law there were people such as those of the Soros network who saw it as their mission to “say awful things about us”.

Varga chided some EU member states for voting through certain decisions against their own national interests with the aim of giving the impression of European harmony, while shying away from implementing the decisions at home.

The insistence on ever-deeper European integration, she added, would actually lead to its opposite. “Honesty, a clear definition of the national interest and mutual respect” were requisites for the EU to stay together, she said. The European founders set out not to oppress states but to “open up a larger field of action for them” where everyone could bask in each other’s success, Varga concluded.

UPDATE

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has acknowledged the intention of Justice Minister Judit Varga to step down from her post, Orbán’s press chief told MTI.

Orbán has nominated Bence Tuzson, state secretary of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office, to fill the post, Bertalan Havasi said.

The daily Magyar Nemzet said earlier in the day that Varga is slated to lead ruling Fidesz’s list in the 2024 European Parliament election and would step down from her ministerial post.

Europe’s 20 richest cities in culture named, Budapest to be proud of

Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest

We can be proud of Budapest again, as the Hungarian capital has been named one of the best cultural cities in Europe.

Europe’s rich history, diverse heritage and vibrant artistic scene have always been a treasure trove of cultural wonders. From ancient architectural marvels to modern art centres, the continent boasts a wealth of cultural hotspots that never fail to capture the hearts and minds of travellers, writes Helló Magyar.

Founded in 2012 in the UK and Ireland, weloveholidays is the fastest-growing online travel company and is already fully operational in Germany. The company has published new data for those looking to explore new cultures.

Their travel experts analysed a number of factors, including the number of museums, libraries, art galleries, theatres, opera houses and attractions. The resulting list includes 50 European cities.

Dr Jan Kuklinski, CEO of weloveholidays, said:

“For anyone who wants to explore new cultures, spend time in an art gallery or listen to opera, our index provides great insights into places that are ready to be discovered.”

TOP 5

Unsurprisingly, London has the most museums (195) and art galleries (258), making it the centre of England’s cultural capital of Europe. London is home to iconic places such as the Natural History Museum, the V&A, the Jack the Ripper Museum and the famous Sherlock Holmes Museum.

Paris, the pride of France, came second. The city of love is home to a total of 1,000 sights, including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe. Paris is also home to the second largest number of theatres in Europe, with 152 in total, perhaps the most famous being the legendary Moulin Rouge.

In third place is the city of Rome, which has the most libraries on the continent (81), some of which are tourist attractions in their own right. The Angelica library, for example, houses a whole range of Italian theatrical and literary works from the 15th to 18th centuries.

Germany’s capital is the fourth city with the second most museums in Europe, with 140 museums – the Topographical Museum and the GDR Museum are just two must-visits if you want to learn more about Berlin’s history. The open-air East Side Gallery is perhaps the best-known of the city’s 104 galleries.

The fifth top cultural holiday destination is Milan, Italy. With four opera houses, it is the second most visited in Europe. A city with a passion for art and fashion also has the second most libraries, with 54.

Budapest

The Hungarian capital came in 15th place, with 165 places to visit and 40 theatres. Museum-lovers will certainly want to visit Budapest’s new museums: the Ethnographic Museum and the House of Hungarian Music in Városliget are a special experience, but Madame Tussauds, which opened a month ago, is also interesting with its international and Hungarian historical figures.

TOP 15

Ranking City Country Museums Libraries Art Galleries Theatres Landmarks Opera Houses Total Score*
1 London UK 19 27 258 214 469 3 4.30
2 Paris France 85 50 204 152 1000 4 4.21
3 Rome Italy 38 81 88 72 466 3 2.81
4 Berlin Germany 140 3 104 84 262 3 2.78
5 Milan Italy 32 54 119 53 49 4 2.63
6 Prague Czech Republic 36 12 252 110 208 3 2.52
7 Vienna Austria 93 2 48 52 145 6 2.04
8 Madrid Spain 52 12 55 102 336 2 1.7
9 Istanbul Türkiye 9 8 242 100 133 0 1.67
10 Barcelona Spain 39 28 81 44 247 2 1.61
11 Amsterdam Netherlands 58 7 120 54 281 1 1.52
12 Venice Italy 0 33 135 17 194 2 1.51
13 Munich Germany 55 4 24 25 118 4 1.29
14 Budapest Hungary 42 2 52 40 165 3 1.26
15 Florence Italy 0 23 56 17 136 3 1.18

 

FM Szijjártó: This would be brutal economic suicide

szijjártó in china

Cutting Europe-China ties would equal Europe’s “brutal economic suicide”, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Tuesday, insisting that the bloc’s competitiveness had “plummeted in recent years for numerous reasons”.

The ministry cited Szijjártó as telling a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Tianjin that “connectivity is good and the re-forming of blocks in the world is bad”, adding that this precept was the starting point for the government’s policy in terms of economic ties between Europe and China.

Judging from various trends, several European countries view China as a risk or a threat, he said. Contrary to this, Hungary believes that cooperation with China could bring about “tremendous results”, he added.

“It is in Europe’s interest to cooperate with China on the basis of mutual respect and interests,” he said.

Hungary sees “great opportunity” in the division of labour between East and West and the only way to improve European competitiveness, he added.

For decades, the basis for predictable economic growth was the combination of developed western technologies with easily accessible and relatively cheap energy from the East, he said. However, this is not the case anymore, noting lost European-Russian links owing to the war in Ukraine, he added.

“If we were to cut European-Chinese ties on top of that, it will be a blow to the European economy,” he said, noting that EU-China trade totalled EUR 865 billion.

“Europe only stands to lose if we view China as a rival rather than as a partner for cooperation,” he said.

The renewal of Europe’s crucial car making industry, he noted, required batteries, adding that “in this field they have become totally dependent on eastern, especially Chinese companies.”

Concerning the planned “Middle Corridor” linking Europe to China, Szijjártó said building new routes was a shared interest without which there could be no growth potential for Europe. “Without physical paths everything is just perception and illusion,” he added.

Szijjártó said the future of bilateral ties depended on whether “Europe is ready to return to rationality and common sense”. “Europe has a certain tendency to lecture and judge others, to tell them how they should live, but there’s no point in this because countries have different cultures and different systems,” he said.

“Any one country should not force its political system onto others; ties can be mutually beneficial based on mutual respect; as is well demonstrated by Hungary, which has become a meeting point of Eastern and Western investments,” the minister said.

Concerning Hungary’s dependence on energy imports, Szijjártó said the government “has always considered energy as a physical issue rather than one of politics or ideology, one that requires resources and transport routes.”

The current energy infrastructure of central Europe is not up to delivering sufficient supplies to Hungary “whatever the political willingness”, he said, adding that by diversification, the government meant involving as many resources and routes as possible “rather than replacing one dependence by another”.

Central Asia is a potential energy source for Hungary, Szijjártó said, adding however that “as long as oil or gas cannot be brought back in a backpack”, pipelines must be constructed, he said. “Europe must participate in construction because this is not a national but a European cause,” he insisted.

“Purchasing gas from Russia is not a matter of political taste but one of physical reality,” Szijjártó said.

Government: Hungarian families have the cheapest gas in Europe

Natural gas burner

In preparation for the next heating season, domestic gas storage facilities have been filled continuously since April; the amount of gas reserves has now reached 3.9 billion cubic metres, or the level of the full-year retail consumption in 2021, the last year before the energy crisis, the energy ministry told MTI on Friday.

Compared with last year’s figures, the picture is even more favourable as households used 3.4 billion cubic metres of gas in 2022, the ministry said.

Hungarian families continue to have the cheapest access to natural gas in Europe thanks to price subsidies guaranteed in the 2024 central budget, the ministry said. Citing the energy crisis caused by the war and the sanctions imposed in response, the government has raised the amount of the protected state gas reserves by 50 percent to 1.9 billion cubic metres in order to guarantee secure energy supply, they added.

Including economic players, gas consumption fell by 17 percent in 2022, partly due to milder weather and partly to savings.

Hungarian FM: EU wanting to give all its money to Ukraine ‘not right’

Szijjártó Bosnia and Herzegovina

Hungarians clearly understand that with all the attention on Kiev, and the European Union “giving all its money to Ukraine”, it would be a tragedy for Europe if instability spread in the Balkans, compromising peace, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday.

Hungary has provided HUF 300 million (EUR 800,000) support for the development of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s defence capability, the minister told public media in Sarajevo. The money will be re-channelled from resources originally allocated to financing NATO security forces in Afghanistan, he added.

Szijjártó said it was Europe’s vital interest that it should not be confronted by another security challenge on top of the war in Ukraine. In its current state, the continent would not be up to the task of handling two security challenges at once, he added.

He said the war in Ukraine made security in the Balkans all the more important, so the EU should take some serious steps to support stability and peace in the Balkans. “It is noticeable that they do not fully understand this in Europe, with all the attention on Kiev. Without peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there will be no peace and stability in the Balkans,” Szijjártó said.

PM Orbán: Hungary backs swift EU membership for Bosnia and Herzegovina

Viktor Orbán Bosnia and Herzegovina

Hungary supports swift European Union membership for the Balkan countries and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in Sarajevo on Thursday, adding that the EU needed the Balkans more than vice versa.

The war in Ukraine increases the importance of the role of the Balkans, Orbán said after talks with Borjana Kristo, chairwoman of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Council of Ministers, arguing that the region was Europe’s last major energy reserve. The EU needs all the dynamism it can get because it is losing its competitiveness, which must be reversed, he added.

Orbán and Kristo were in agreement that cooperation between their countries was good. Orbán reaffirmed that the Hungarian government invited Sarajevo to propose economic sectors that would welcome Hungarian investment.

Hungarian FM: Brussels migration policies creating difficulties for Europeans

Szijjártó Tunisia

Brussels “should immediately stop its aggressive pro-migration policies because they are creating an extremely difficult situation” for European and north African countries, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Wednesday, after a meeting of the Hungary-Tunisia mixed committee.

The ministry cited Szijjártó telling a joint press conference with Tunisian counterpart Nabil Ammar that Europe was simultaneously faced with two serious security challenges: the war to the east and waves of migration from the south.

He said it was high time to “turn up the volume in the pro-peace camp” because “failing to do that, louder pro-war voices might … appear to be in the majority, and this is not the case”.

Szijjártó talked about the dramatic increase in food prices and a severe grain supply crisis in Tunisia and other parts of the world. He said the effects of the armed conflict in Ukraine could destabilise an already fragile region and result in further security challenges.

“Looking beyond the European or transatlantic bubble … we see that the majority of countries in the world want peace,” he said. “And we’re glad to welcome the foreign minister of a country today that, like Hungary, is also part of the global pro-peace majority.”

He said Hungary was in a special situation due to its geographical location, being subject to the dual pressure of the war to the east and migratory waves from the south.

“Unfortunately, we are witnessing migration gaining fresh impetus because the decision in Brussels which forced a mandatory resettlement quota on Europe is essentially an invitation to migrants,” he said. This, he added, created “an extremely difficult situation” not only for European countries but also for north African countries along migrant routes, because they are under the threat of being “overrun” by the migrants who “show no respect for their sovereignty and legal regulations”.

He called for greater support from Brussels for the protection of Tunisia’s borders, adding that if necessary, Hungary was willing to offer this bilaterally.

Szijjártó noted that trade between Hungary and Tunisia hit a record high of EUR 260 million last year, while so far this year it has increased by 22 percent. Tunisia presents Hungarian companies with great opportunities, and their products are much sought after, he said, noting the areas of agriculture and the food industry, medical equipment and water management.

He announced that starting from the next academic year, Hungary will offer 250 scholarships to Tunisian students as against the current 200, in response to great demand.

The ministry said that Szijjártó told a Hungary-Tunisia business forum that thanks to a reliable partnership between the two countries, all the conditions are set for companies to utilise the opportunities in cooperation. He added that Hungary and Tunisia maintained reliable and predictable cooperation based on mutual respect.

There are no open issues or disputes in bilateral political relations, either, he said.

“We Hungarians, stayed away in the last few years from the European Union’s attempts to pressure Tunisia into changes in its domestic politics,” he said. Hungary was never part of the “mainstream political action” that questioned the democratic system in Tunisia, he added.

“Our approach in every situation was that Tunisians are mature enough to decide what’s good for them,” he said. “If they decided in a certain way, then our job is only to respect that, the same way they respect our decisions,” he added.

Szijjártó said that opportunities that exist for Hungarian and Tunisian companies open further perspectives in bilateral ties and they demonstrate the level of diversification in the Hungarian economy. He highlighted flagship projects that could encourage more companies to get involved. He welcomed the construction of a premix plant in Tunisia, and another Hungarian company’s plan to build a camel milk processing plant in Tunisia representing a value of 8 million euros.

He said there was strong interest for Hungarian agricultural and food products, partly thanks to the fact that Hungary followed the strictest regulations in Europe in this field.

Hungarian companies have the opportunity to be involved in infrastructure development in Tunisia, such as in railway construction, and high-level Hungarian water management technologies are also sought after in Tunisia, he said.

Deal signed on new Hungary-Serbia oil pipeline, relations in ‘golden age’

szijjártó in serbia

With a view to boosting energy security, an agreement has been signed on building a new oil pipeline between Hungary and Serbia, and a regional JV natural gas trading company will be set by MVM and Srbijagas, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in Palic on Tuesday.

The ministry cited Szijjártó telling a Hungary–Serbia strategic council meeting that the construction of the new pipeline to link Algyő with Novi Sad (Újvidék) was perhaps the most important agreement between the two countries ever. He added that the new regional natural gas trading company of MVM and Srbijagas would start operations in the autumn.

“The more resources, the more routes and the more cooperation, the greater energy security,” he said.

“Hungary’s energy security would be unimaginable today without Serbia, and the same is true the other way round,” he said. “The majority of Hungary’s natural gas supplies arrive through Serbia and we keep in storage over a hundred million cubic metres on behalf of Serbia,” he added.

He told the strategic council that Europe’s “most modern, largest and most gleaming border crossing” will be established between Röszke and Horgos, adding that it would be one of the largest joint projects of all time.

Szijjártó said cooperation could also enter a new dimension in foreign policy, with Hungary signing an agreement on setting up a joint foreign representative office with another country for the first time, enabling the expansion of the diplomatic network for both countries.

Serbia’s embassy in Kinshasa in Congo will host the Hungarian representation and Hungary’s embassy in Valletta in Malta will host Serbia’s mission, he said. The programme will be continued in order to have representation most effectively in most places around the world, he added.

Szijjártó also said that economic cooperaton had broken several records, citing investments by Hungarian companies in Serbia, trade reaching EUR 6 billion last year, and an economic development programme for Vojvodina which supported 14,200 companies with a total of HUF 171 billion last year.

Several contracts are scheduled to be signed at the meeting, including a declaration of intent on building a new oil pipeline between the two countries, an agreement on the exchange and protection of certified data, a cooperation agreement on the policing of foreigners and an agreement on the opening of a joint representation office in Kinshasa. Additionally, the agreements on border controls on public roads, railways and waterways will be amended.

President Novák: New chapter opens in Hungary-Serbia relations

A new chapter has been reached in the “golden age of Hungary-Serbia relations”, President Katalin Novák said on Tuesday.

Novák told a press conference that the founding of a Hungary-Serbia strategic cooperation council demonstrated that instead of making tactical decisions, Hungarian-Serbia friendship and cooperation are planned to be developed in the long-term.

Twelve working teams have been set up and their work is expected to bring some tangible results, she said. Among the topics discussed at a Tuesday meeting of the council, she highlighted the Russia-Ukraine war, the stability of the Western Balkans, the issue of Serbia’s European Union accession and demographics.

She said that Hungary-Serbia relations were characterised by the mutual respect between two freedom-loving and sovereign nations.

Commenting on the Ukraine war, she said the aim was to reach a ceasefire and peace agreement as soon as possible. She added that this must not distract attention from the Western Balkans, the stability of which is key to Europe’s stability. Peace and security are needed also in the Western Balkans, she added.

Commenting on Serbia’s EU accession, she said Serbia had submitted its membership application in 2009 and talks have been under way since 2014. Since then, Serbia has proven several times that it belongs to Europe, she added. She added that even before Serbia joined the Schengen Area, Hungary would like to simplify border crossing between the two countries.

She also said that cooperation between Serbia and Hungary was being increased in the fight against the “demographic winter”. Hungary is ready to offer its experiences to Serbia also in this area, she added. In response to a question, Novák said that a demographic summit would be held in Budapest on September 14-15 and Serbia counterpart Aleksandar Vucic had already confirmed his plan to participate.

Novák expressed sympathy in connection with recent shootings and floods in Serbia, and the events in Kosovo.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that the 12 agreements signed by Hungary and Serbia would “make life easier on both sides”.

Budapest-Belgrade ties “are at a historic peak”, he said, adding this was true of political and economic relations and person-to-person relationships.

Vucic highlighted new agreements on defence and security, adding that Hungary’s membership of NATO and Serbia’s neutrality was not an obstacle to cooperation, which had “reached the level where this is, and defence cooperation can still be successful”.

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic called today’s agreements and the establishment of the Hungarian-Serbian Strategic Cooperation Council “of historic importance for Serbia”, adding that Serbia enjoys cooperation on such a high level only with Hungary.

The first joint Hungarian-Serbian government meeting was held in Belgrade in 2014, she noted, adding that bilateral relations had grown closer ever since.

Deep depression: No country is more pessimistic than Hungary right now

sad pessimistic

Hungarians currently appear to be the most pessimistic nation in the world, according to the GWI global consumer attitudes survey presented by Publicis at a press event on 14 April. The data show that 72 percent of Hungarians think the country’s economic situation will get worse in the next 6 months. 44 percent think their own economic situation will also get worse.

“It’s clear that Hungarians are very pessimistic in the world,” said Helga Major, Head of Strategy at Publicis Group, while presenting GWI’s global consumer attitudes data, Pénzcentrum reports. In fact, the data shows that 72 percent of Hungarians believe the country’s economic situation will get worse in the next 6 months, and 44 percent believe their own economic situation will get worse as well.

Both rates are the highest of the 52 countries surveyed. The situation in Europe was also presented at the press event also attended by Pénzcentrum. On average, 51 percent of people on the continent thought their country’s economic situation would worsen, while only 29 percent thought their own would get worse.

In comparison, the Hungarian average of 72 and 44 percent is much higher.

At the press event, Dr. Ágnes Neulinger, a behavioural scientist at the University of Pécs, said that she was not surprised by these blatant data. After all, apart from the fact that the current economic situation is bad, Hungarian pessimism can be linked to the values of the people living here. The researcher said that most Hungarians suffer from trust issues, which are coupled with high individualism and low solidarity.

The high level of pessimism is somewhat offset by the fact that the domestic 16-26 year old generation Z is still highly optimistic about their own finances. 34 percent of them is holding a positive view, which may be partly due to age, Pénzcentrum reports. In comparison, however, the financial awareness of Hungarians is one of the lowest in the EU. We are less likely to use our mobile phones to track and plan our finances and spending, with 33 percent of us, where our neighbours are stronger (Czechs: 50 percent, Poles: 39 percent).